Rea extends winning run to six with Portimao double
Full WorldSBK race two results from Portimao
Jonathan Rea has continued his untouchable form as he closes in on an historic fourth consecutive World Superbike crown as he seals a dominant double victory at Portimao.
The Kawasaki rider produced his trademark bolt through the pack on the reversed race two grid to go from ninth to second place by lap two with pole-sitter Chaz Davies setting the initial pace.
Full WorldSBK race two results from Portimao
Jonathan Rea has continued his untouchable form as he closes in on an historic fourth consecutive World Superbike crown as he seals a dominant double victory at Portimao.
The Kawasaki rider produced his trademark bolt through the pack on the reversed race two grid to go from ninth to second place by lap two with pole-sitter Chaz Davies setting the initial pace.
Rea sized up his Aruba.it Racing Ducati rival over the opening half of the race before he began to make his move, initially passing up the inside of the first corner at the start of lap nine only to see the Welsh rider fight back.
But two laps later Rea made the decisive move with an excellent block pass at Turn 11, somewhat taking Davies by surprise, before setting out an impressive rhythm to storm ahead.
Rea now leads the World Superbike championship by a huge 116 points and can seal the title next time out at Magny-Cours.
With Davies dropping to second it triggered a wider fight for the rostrum with his factory Ducati team-mate Marco Melandri going up the inside at Turn 1 on lap 12, only to push both riders wide, which allowed Pata Yamaha’s Michael van der Mark to skate through into second place.
The Dutch rider held on to cap an impressive round as he closes up to Davies for second place in the World Superbike riders’ standings with Melandri holding on to third place ahead of his team-mate.
Tom Sykes continued to struggle to match the front-runners in fifth place for Kawasaki but was comfortably ahead of Lorenzo Savadori who bounced back from his race one crash for Milwaukee Aprilia.
After a heart-breaking clash triggered by Xavi Fores on the opening lap of race one, Eugene Laverty could only manage seventh place having started down in 10th for Milwaukee Aprilia but did keep factory Ducati’s Michael Ruben Rinaldi behind him at the finish.
Loris Baz grabbed ninth place for Althea BMW ahead of Fores on the Barni Ducati with Pata Yamaha’s Alex Lowes a lowly 11th place.
Jake Gagne ended his Portimao round on a high with 12th place for Red Bull Honda beating a fading Jordi Torres on the MV Agusta with Leon Camier (Red Bull Honda) and Leandro Mercado (Orelac Racing Kawasaki) completing the points places.
Toprak Razgatlioglu crashed out of the top 10 with seven laps to go for Puccetti Kawasaki.
